Gould
by colieesunshine
Summary: Post-War, Year Seven! The new girl at Hogwarts this year is suddenly the object of everyone's affection. Straight from the U.S., she is interesting and different. RATED M for later chapters;  O.C./TN?/DM?/GW? Pairings undecided!
1. Chapter 1

**Read. Read. Read. THIS. **Hii, new FanFic readers!I seriously write stories all the time, and Harry Potter has always been my favorite. Hopefully this original character thing isn't too weird. In a way, a lot of the old characters are gonna be new ones; some of their personalities are gonna be a little altered. I'm introducing a lot of new themes too! It strays a little from J.K. Rowling's beautiful mind, but I'm taking some creative edge here. Fingers crossed you don't think out there.  
>Also, stick with me... this first chapter is a little rough. It's just the introduction!<p>

**Disclaimer! **I don't own annny of these characters belonging to this Magical World. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

It was mid May, 1981, when my parents made the move. My mother was eight months pregnant with me, and England was feeling less and less safe. The "Dark Lord" was at large, and my parents were going to do anything they could to keep me (a soon to be half-born or muggle) safe. With "He Who Must Not Be Named" in charge, anyone less than a "pure blood" would be killed. And so, with protection in mind, our happy little soon-to-be family moved across the pond to the United States, Massachusetts to be exact. After brushing up on a little American History, my parents heard the rumors that there were witches there, so Salem was the place for us.

I was born in June of that year, protected. My father sent word of my birth to a wizard friend of his who happened to work for the Ministry. He informed his friend of all of the plans for our new life.

In July, Voldemort was defeated by a baby boy.

Regardless of the death of the asshole, my family stayed in the U.S. My dad had made friends with a family of witches (the rumors were true) and was learning a lot about different kinds of magic… wand free. With the wave of our hands, we could do the same magic any wizard could with a wand.

When I was nine years old my mother passed away. She got sick, and no potion or spell could take it away. I was thankful to still have my dad, but it was really hard growing up without her.

Growing up, I was homeschooled. My dad didn't feel that it was necessary to send me back to England to practice magic. I learned how to cast spells and make potions just like everyone else my age…but unlike the wonderful students at Hogwarts, I was learning mind magic.

When I was thirteen, word was sent that the Dark Lord was back. Of course, they were only rumors, and ones that didn't affect me in the least. I was 3280 miles away learning magic of nature. My dad and I used to joke that we were the hippies of the Wizarding World.

By fourteen, the word was final. Voldemort had returned. My family was a little panicked, but we were safe in America.

Two years passed, and my dad was sent for by his wizard friend. The war was starting, and something called "The Order" needed any help they could get.

My dad was brave. He asked an elderly neighbor witch to keep an eye on me while he was gone. He knew I'd be able to take care of myself for the most part though, so he wasn't concerned leaving me on my own for a while. We didn't know how long it would be until he came home, but I kept my fingers crossed that it wouldn't be long. On the day he left, he kissed me on the head and walked out of the house. I felt alone.

I continued with my studies in his absence without his help. For the most part, I knew what I was doing. When he got home, he'd be able to help me catch up on anything I missed; he'd be able to correct any of my mistakes.

The war was lasting a lot longer than I thought it would. It was close to a year later when I finally received a letter. The war was over. We had won. So I waited. And waited. And my dad never came home. I started getting worried. I had no idea where he was, and I was scared. I wondered if he had forgotten about me. I didn't know where he was, so I didn't know where to write to him. All I could do was keep waiting.

Three days after my seventeenth birthday a man knocked on my door. He had bright red hair and a goofy expression. He identified himself as Arthur Weasley, my father's friend from England. I invited him in. And then, he dropped the bomb…

My dad didn't survive the war.

Mr. Weasley, a man I didn't even know, held me as I sobbed. I couldn't grasp what had happened. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't possibly survive as a witch, survive as a person, without my father's help. He was all I had ever really had. He'd been my father, and my mother, and my mentor, and my friend. I didn't know what to feel now that he was gone.

I calmed down and sat silently on my living room sofa. Mr. Weasley smiled at me softly from the armchair. It was a very…understanding smile. He explained to me that he lost one of his sons in the war, a boy named Fred. The shattered pieces of my already broken heart broke a little more. But then, he explained something else:

He had two children still attending Hogwarts. Everyone who had previously attended the school would be re-attending their last year. The war had caused a great deal of damage to the castle, and students were unable to finish out their studies. Technically, I still another year of schooling to finish, and before my father died, he had asked Mr. Weasley to take me in if anything were to happen to him.

I didn't really know what to say. I was going to England? I would be starting at a new school, where everyone had grown up together. I'd be the outcast… from the United States. Not to mention, I'd be leaving the only home I had ever known.

Mr. Weasley helped me pack my things together. It wouldn't have taken much more than the wave of a wand, but I took my time for sentimental reasons. My mother had died here, and this was the last place I'd seen my father. It was where I'd grown up…where I'd had all of my memories. It was weird thinking I'd never see it again, and I wondered what would happen to the house and all of my parents leftover belongings after I left.

I put everything in one bag, using an extension charm, and walked back to where Mr. Weasley was patiently waiting. I took one last look around my house, cherishing every memory. And then, he placed a hand on my shoulder and we apparated out.

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><p><strong>I KNOW. I know. You don't even know her name yet. Hold tight, you'll find out everything. The next chapter actually has dialogue. Don't give up on me yet. <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hopefully you liked the last chapter! This one is a lot better… and a lot longer.

**Disclaimer! **I own nothing except this plot and my new character! Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. (I'm just…twisting it a bit!)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

The house in front of me was… different. It was taller than any house I'd seen back in Salem. Actually, it looked as if houses were stacked on top of houses. The building was put together with all different kinds of wood, and pieces of longer plywood were holding up levels of the house all on its own. Like magic.

"Well, home-sweet-home!" Mr. Weasley chuckled, placing a comforting hand softly on my shoulder.

I summoned up the best smile I could and nodded. As if on command, the front door sprang open and a small, roundish woman ran out and embraced me.

"Ohhh! You must be Lucille! I've heard so much about you. You're even more beautiful than Hugo described! You're just so lovely! Seventeen years old, correct? Oh, that's Ginny's age! It's just so wonderful to meet-''

"Molly, let her breathe!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, laughing. The woman loosened her grip and backed away slightly.

"I'm sorry, dear. I just got a little excited. My name is Molly Weasley. I'm Arthur's wife," she smiled.

I smiled back, genuinely. It was nice to have a motherly hug again, even if it was from a woman I didn't know.

"Uhm, you can call me Lucy," I said, a wiggled free in the nicest way possible.

Mrs. Weasley gently pushed me through the door into a large living room. There were various couches, tables, and knickknacks scattered around. The walls were covered in the most random objects. Despite all the clutter, the house was homey… and I loved it.

"MUM. When is dad supposed to be home with that girl!" a voice shouted from another room in the house.

"RONALD! GINNY! GEORGE! Get down here!" Mrs. Weasley yelled back. I felt myself getting smaller. I was never overly outgoing. In fact, meeting new people has never been my strong point. I tend to almost shrink in size, rolling my body inward as if to hide. And I was doing just that. At that point, three red heads came bounding down the stairs. The first two were boys, their sister following after.

The first boy's hair was messy, sticking out in different directions. He looked older than his siblings, but not by much. He was slender, probably fairly muscular under his elaborate outfit: grey slacks, a teal dress shirt, a bright purple vest, and a gold and teal striped tie. He was attractive, in a goofy way. Just his looks alone made me want to giggle, and the look he was giving me wasn't helping.

The other boy was bulkier, distinctly muscular. He had shorter hair, tamed. He was wearing a red shirt and a pair of jeans, much simpler than his brother. He was grinning.

The girl was beautiful. Her red hair was long, probably to her mid back. She had a round face, and a very fair, flawless complexion. She was wearing a yellow sundress that fit her slim body perfectly. If that was my competition at Hogwarts, I had no chance.

I suddenly became self conscious. I ran my fingers back through my curly brown hair, twirling the ends a little when I reached there. I adjusted the hem of my shorts, pulling them down. Part of me was afraid that the shirt I picked, my favorite orange t shirt, was too loose fitting. I shuffled my feet, trying to distract from my sneakers.

"Well, I'll be the first to break the tension!" the first boy chuckled. He hopped down the rest of the stairs can over to me. "My name is George Weasley! But you can call me Mr. Right." He outstretched his hand for me to shake and winked. I blushed.

"Nice to meet you. Lucy," I smiled.

"Oh piss off, George, you're going to scare her away," the other boy said, pushing his brother out of the way.

"Jealous, Ronnikins?" George shot back.

"Absolutely not," he snapped. "No offence intended," he said to me. "You're lovely, but I have a girlfriend right now."

"None taken," I blushed again. "Nice to meet you, Ron?"

"Yup, that's me."

"Cool!"

That's when Ginny walked up to me. She smiled and pulled me into a gentle embrace. "Hi, my name is Ginny, but I'm sure you could figure that out."

I hugged her back, although it was strange she felt so comfortable hugging a stranger.

"Yeah, I guessed that," I pulled away and smiled at her. "Lucy, obviously."

She laughed. "You're staying with me, in my room. Mum set the room all up for you; you just need to settle in."

"Great! Um, thank you all… for everything," I said. These five people didn't even know me, and they were treating me like family. It was the most I'd had in months, and I needed this.

"Oh, think nothing of it dear," Mrs. Weasley said as she squeezed my shoulders. "Now, Ginny, would you take Lucy up to your room and help her get squared away? She's had a long day already, and it's soon to get longer!"

"Soon…to…get…longer?" I said quietly. George laughed loudly and Ginny grabbed my wrist, pulling me up the stairs.

"I can already tell we're going to get along great! You're seventeen, right? Me too! We'll be in the same year. Sixth year! Hopefully you'll be sorted into Gryffindor."

"Actually, I'm going to be in my seventh year… I've been homeschooled since I was eleven. I, uh, never missed any schooling last year," I said.

"Really? Wow, you'll be in Ron's year then!" she said excitedly. "I can't wait for you to meet Hermione. That's my best friend, and Ronald's girlfriend. And Harry, that's my boyfriend." She giggled as she said that last part.

I smiled for her, happy. I could tell we would get along as well. Ginny pushed open a door at the top of the stairs. The room wasn't small, but it wasn't terribly large either. The walls were a pale blue color and the wooden floors were shiny and freshly cleaned. There were two distinct sides to the room: two beds, two dressers, two lamps. One side was decorated up, covered in posters and pictures of the girl and her friends. There were newspaper clippings from the past years and random books scattered around the floor.

The other side of the room was clean, untouched. That was my side. It was waiting for me to make my mark.

"Well, here it is!" Ginny announced. "It isn't much, but I think it'll be alright."

"It's perfect," I replied. I gave her a quick smile and walked towards the empty side of the room.

"Well, I'm gonna go talk to Mum about something, but I'll come back in a bit to see if you need any help."

"Don't worry, I didn't bring much, it shouldn't take too long." I smiled again and sat down on the bed.

Ginny left the room and I opened up my bag. I started pulling things out to put them away. First out, my wand. It would be beneficial in refolding unfolded clothes and hanging up other things I brought with me. I started on clothes, carefully filling the dresser drawers. I brought what I thought I would need, my favorites, leaving the rest at my abandoned house.

That thought made me think of my family. I sat down on my new bed and pulled out my memory box. I opened the lid and pictures of my life back in Salem spilled out. I sifted through the pictures treasuring each one. Tears streamed down my face as I pulled out a picture of my father and I. I was thirteen years old in the picture. He was twirling me around, pink and orange sparks falling to the ground around us. He had been teaching me a spell, and instead of doing it the right way, I managed to create a shower of colors that we danced in.

I placed that picture on my lap and rummaged through the box again, pulling out the specific item I had been looking for. It was an old necklace my father had given to my mother. It was antique, but simple. It was a vintage gold chain, with a simple gold heart attached. There was an emerald gem in the middle.

I tried to attach the chain around my neck. Each failed attempt got me more and more upset. It had come to the point where I was just sobbing, hands behind my neck, slamming my fingers together. Finally, I gave up, slid off of the bed, and dropped to the floor.

And then I heard a knock on the doorframe.

"Hello, darling… err- Lucy. I, uh… oh no, what's the matter?" George came striding into the bedroom, dropped to the floor next to me and wrapped his arms around me.

I looked up at him, and I'm sure I looked like a mess. "I, uh, can't get this necklace on." I sniffled, trying to let up on the crying for his sake.

He smiled at me; it was charming. "Well, let me help you out." He took the necklace from my hand and scooted to sit just behind me. He moved my hair off of my neck and clasped the necklace on. Before moving my hair back, he lightly brushed his fingers across my neck. "There," he said and turned back to face me.

I smiled at him, wiping my eyes again. "Thank you."

"Now tell me, why were you really crying?"

I sighed and handed him the picture. Thirteen year old me was still smiling, happier than ever. My dad was still living. I let another tear slide down my face. George caught the tear and took the picture from my hands.

"He was a great man. Hugo Gould. Honorable. There aren't many like him."

Hearing that he thought so highly of my father made me smile, which, in turn, made George smile.

"I don't want you to think I'm coming on too strong or anything, but I love it when you smile," he said. I think I caught a little blush on his cheeks.

I blushed back. "Well aren't you just full of compliments?"

"That's me! You're complementary George. Every new guest gets one, but you were blessed with this one!"

I laughed out loud, and then looked back to my pictures on my bed.

"By the way, if you need to talk about anything, I understand. You can come to me. My, uh… my twin brother Fred died in the war. And uh, well I know it can be tough."

I wrapped my arms around the red haired boy. My earlier assumption was right, he was muscular. I could feel it through his shirt. I let go of him and sat back.

"I just might do that."

He smiled at me. "Now, finish unpacking your things and get yourself cleaned up. You're a mess and you have a party to attend tonight!"

The smile on my face dropped. "What? I party?"

"Your accent us utterly adorable, by the way." He winked at me, chuckled, and casually left the room. I sat there in a second, confused. A party? No, that couldn't be what he meant. There was no way I was in the mood for a party.

I cleaned up the pictures spilling out of my keepsake box and slid it under my bed. I pulled a few more items from my bag (books, shoes, and a cheap, patterned jewelry box) and walked out of the room to find Ginny.

She was in the kitchen, preparing dinner with Mrs. Weasley. When I walked into the room, both mother and daughter turned around and smiled at me.

"Sorry, Lucy! I meant to come back up and help you finish unpacking, but Mum needed some extra help with dinner," Ginny explained, almost begging for forgiveness.

"Oh, don't even worry. I got it all finished. Actually, I was sorta wondering something," I started.

"What can we do for you, my dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked sweetly.

"Um, George mentioned some sort of party? What exactly does that entail?"

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny both laughed. "George would be the one to tell you! I apologize if my son oversteps any boundaries, he's a jokester," Mrs. Weasley said laughing.

"No, it's totally fine… but what exactly did he mean by party?"

Ginny put down the tray of uncooked biscuits she was holding and walked over to me. "I'll explain it, Mum. I can help her get ready and everything!" She grabbed my wrist and led me back up the stairs. "Tonight we're going to this… "Welcome back to Hogwarts-slash-hurray the war is over-slash-we all used to hate each other but now we're going to be friends party. It's not actually AT Hogwarts; the castle is still being re-built. It'll be finished soon though. In time for the new year! But all of the students are going to this Great Hall place. It's in the Ministry building. It's gorgeous. You're going to have so much fun! I'll introduce you to everyone."

I smiled at her enthusiasm. I was secretly hoping everyone would like me. Just because George thought my "accent" was cute didn't mean everyone else would. Some people might not get it; they might be judgmental because I'm not from here.

We walked into our room and Ginny headed straight for my dresser. "I hope you don't mind… I just want to take a look at what you have!" she said, opening the drawers.

"No, not at all. Sooooo, what kinda party is this exactly? I don't have a whole lot to choose from in there…" I said, sorta nervous. I didn't want to be underdressed for the party. I didn't really bring anything formal with me from home.

Home. That was the Weasley's house now. My house. I needed to get used to that.

"Hmm, well I suppose its semi-formal…" She turned to face me and tapped her chin. Suddenly a look of realization replaced her puzzled expression. "I got it!" She ran to her…our… closet and started throwing items of clothing out. She pulled out this beautiful, dark green dress. It was short and strapless. The top was fitted, and right below the breasts it flowed out, baby-doll style.

"Oh, wow. Ginny, there is no way I can wear that! No way." It was beautiful, far too beautiful for me to pull off. Besides, Ginny was at least four inches taller than my 5'2".

"Nonsense, wear it. It never fit me right, it's too short! And green isn't my color. Doesn't flatter my hair. One of the many, many reasons I'm not a Slytherin." She laughed.

Ginny practically threw the dress into my arms and headed for her dresser. Out of her bottom drawer she pulled out three bottles and a towel. "You need to wash up. It's been a long day. Here, here is some soap and some hair products. Mum brewed them week, so they're fresh. They'll do wonders for your hair!" She handed me the toiletries and started down the hall. I quickly laid the dress across my bed and grabbed some clean clothes from my dresser. Then I wandered around until I found Ginny. She was standing in front of an open door to, obviously, the bathroom.

"Shower and get ready, you can leave the bottles on my bed when you're done. Dinner should be done in a little over an hour, so get ready fast!"

I thanked her, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door. I stared at my reflection for a minute. My brown eyes were looking darker than usual, and my fair skin was blotchy from all the crying. My hair was generally kept in place, but now it was tangled and dull. I shook the reflection from my memory and stripped off my clothes.

The shower was glorious, just what I needed. The potions Ginny had given me for my hair were terrific. They smelled like honey and actually relieved tension in my head. That was weird, because it's not something shampoo usually does. The soap smelled minty, and it left this cool sensation on my skin. I rubbed my face under the water, trying to wash off any traces I had cried earlier that day.

I took a relatively fast shower, not wanting to linger and possibly hold up the space for anyone else who needed it. I got out, dried off my body and towel dried my hair. While completing that process, the door flew open. I stood there, shocked, and stared at the face of the youngest Weasley boy. I threw the towel over my still naked body and he covered his face with his hands.

"Bloody hell, I'm so sorry!" Ron yelled and slammed the door closed. I sank to the floor and cradled my head in my hands. I could feel my face getting hotter, and I imagined myself to be as red as my face would allow. Facing him later would be near impossible…

I quickly got dressed, cracked open the door to look around. I wanted to make sure Ron was nowhere in sight. I ran to mine and Ginny's room and slammed the door shut.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Ginny said, standing in front of a floor length mirror styling her hair. She was wearing another yellow dress, this one more gold in color. It was skin tight, and down to her mid thigh. The dress had short sleeves that fit tight to her arms. She had the body of a supermodel: not curvy, but slim and…well, perfect.

"Uh, no… I just wanted to hurry and get ready, didn't want to keep anyone waiting." Lie. But she didn't need to know that. She really didn't need to know her brother walked in on me…

I dropped the bottles on her bed and hung the towel over the edge of my bed. Ginny, who had finished fixing her already perfect, straight hair, walked over and sat on her bed.

"What are you going to do with your hair?"

I stood in front of the mirror and thought for a second. "I guess it depends on how it looks natural," I sighed. I waved my hand in a circle around my head, muttered _capillo__siccitat__, _and flipped my hair down, and back up. Then it was dry.

Ginny jumped off her bed. "How-how-how did you do that?" she demanded frantically.

"Do what? Dry my hair?"

"You didn't use a wand!" she exclaimed.

I laughed. I forgot that Hogwarts students didn't learn all the same magic I did. "Back in Salem, my father and I were taught this different magic. I don't need a wand to cast some spells."

Ginny was shocked. She slowly sat back down on her bed. "That's incredible. I've never seen anything like it! It's not… dark magic, is it?"

"Oh, god no! It's normal. It's more… natural magic I guess."

"Incredible," she repeated. "By the way, leave your hair alone, it's perfect."

I turned to look at myself in the mirror. Whatever that hair potion Ginny gave me was, well it worked magic. My hair was sleek, waving around perfectly into soft curls. It had a glow to it that I've never seen before.

"Wow, my hair never looks like this…"

"It's the stuff I let you borrow! I'll have Mum make you some. What did it smell like?"

"Um, honey. Isn't that what it smells like when you use it?" I wondered why she'd ask that.

"Nope! For me it smells like raspberries. Hermione used it once, it smelled like strawberries."

"That's amazing," I laughed. Personal scented shampoo.

Ginny got off her bed, grabbed a small bag off her bedside table and walked towards me. "Do you ever wear makeup?"

"Uh, no… not usually. Why?"

"I'm going to do it for you," she replied, smirking.

I didn't think there was a point in arguing with her, so I sat down on my bed and let her do her thing. Ten minutes later, I heard the magic word.

"Done."

Ginny stepped back, admiring her work.

"Can I look?" I asked,

"Absolutely not! You need to get your dress on first. Do you have shoes to match? I'm thinking gold sandals. I love your height, you aren't wearing heels."

"No, I don't have any… And I can't imagine you wear a size six…"

"What's a size six?" she asked. "No matter." Ginny dug through her closet again and finally pulled out a pair of gold strappy sandals. She grabbed her wand, waved it around and the shoes shrunk down. "Put them on."

I sat down and slid one of the shoes on my foot. It fit like a glove. The straps wrapped around my food and halfway up my calf. "They're perfect!"

"Of course they are, they're magic. Now put your dress on, I'll turn around."

I thought back to her brother, blushed and slipped off my clothes. I slid the dress on, carefully zipping it up the side. It was a perfect fit. The top was a little tight, considering my bra size was a D while Ginny's was probably a B, but I ignored it. The dress fell at mid thigh, the same length as Ginny's. I put on the other shoe and told Ginny she could turn around.

"You look unbelievable!" she squealed. She rummaged through her table drawer and found a couple of gold bracelets. "Put these on!"

I slipped them on my wrist and turned to my own jewelry box. I pulled out a pair of medium sized gold hoops and put them through my ears.

"Can I look now?" I asked. Ginny ran forward, fluffed my hair and stepped back.

"Yes, look now!"

I walked towards the mirror and gasped. I could hardly recognize myself in the reflection. I'd come a long way from the girl I saw an hour before in the mirror. My eyes were highlighted, my lids bronzed to my eyebrows. My eyelashes looked like tiny fans. My lips looked more pouty than usual, and were shaded with a sheer red color.

"You look better than me!" Ginny laughed. "…George is going to have a heart attack."

I laughed with her until we were interrupted by Mrs. Weasley calling us all for dinner. Ginny slid on a pair of short black heels and we walked down the stair to the kitchen.

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><p><strong>Better, yess? Review!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **This one is… different. Now we're going to start meeting some new characters! Well, new-old characters. This chapter is a little misleading, apologies!

**Disclaimer!**I own nothing except this plot and my new character! Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. (I'm just…twisting it a bit!)

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Everyone was already sitting around the table when Ginny and I walked into the room. Ginny loudly cleared her throat, a subtle announcement to her family that we were there. Everyone turned around.

George whistled. I guess he was thoroughly enjoying what he was seeing. I blushed a little, and glanced around the table. Mrs. Weasley looked proud and excited. Mr. Weasley didn't like what he saw, his little girl was obviously too grown up. George was… well, he was enjoying the view… and not of his little sister. And Ron, his entire face was the color of the tomato sauce on the spaghetti. I blushed deeper.

"You girls look beautiful! Now, let's eat. You have a party to attend tonight!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Ginny and I took our seats at the table, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley across from each other at each table end. I sat across from George and Ginny sat across from Ron.

"Well, go ahead. Grab a plate!" Ginny said, grabbing a plate for herself. The food looked incredible. There was spaghetti, dinner rolls, mixed fruits and vegetables, some mushy orange stuff, and this incredible looking cake. I put a little bit of everything on my plate, just to try it.

Mr. Weasley poured me a cup of pumpkin juice (something I'd never had, but it was pretty delicious!). Everything I ate was unbelievable.

"This is delicious, Mrs. Weasley!" I exclaimed. It was the first food I'd eaten all day, and it was well worth the wait.

"Well thank you, dear. I'm glad you like it!"

I smiled. I could get used to this. Dad was never much of a cook. Regardless of his expertise in that area, I still missed him.

"Ginny, Ron," Mr. Weasley started, interrupting my thoughts. "Where are you meeting Ron and Hermione?"

"At the party, that's what the letter said at least," Ron said, his mouth half full of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Ron," Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Sorry, Mum."

We made some small dinner conversation and when everyone finished we helped clear the table.

"Hey, Lucie."

I stopped washing my plate and turned around. It was Ron.

"Oh, hi… uh…"

"Look… about earlier. Let's pretend that didn't happen."

"I am soooo sorry! I forgot to lock the door! It totally slipped my mind. That was so stupid of me."

He lifted a finger to his lips to silence me. "Really, I should be the one apologizing. I mean, I just walked in without event thinking. The door was closed, I should have knocked. Uh… you're the first girl I've ever seen… well, you know." He blushed. "Let's start over."

Wow, he'd actually never seen a girl naked before. That was a little shocking to me. I mean, he was eighteen, and had a girlfriend. "Absolutely, starting over."

He smiled and shook his head, then walked towards his older brother.

"Well, it seems like it's time for you three to be on your way!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, pointing to Ron, Ginny, and I.

"Is it seven o'clock already?" Ginny squealed. "I can't wait to see Harry."

"Yeah, let's go," Ron said. We walked outside and the three of us grabbed hands, Ginny in the middle.

"Have fun! Be safe! Make friends!" Mrs. Weasley shouted out.

And with that, we were gone.

…~…

We re-appeared inside this incredible building. There were teenagers running around everywhere and music was playing. I didn't know anybody, but people were staring at me. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

"Lucie, isn't this exciting!" I looked over at Ginny. She had a huge smile on her face and she was examining the crowd, no doubt looking for her man candy. "HARRY!"

A handsome boy with dark hair and glasses turned around. Ginny ran to him, jumping in his arms. A tall brunette girl next to him looked at the couple, then scanned the crowd herself as if to see where Ginny had ran over from. She was beautiful. Not in the way Ginny was (tall and model like). Her curly brown hair practically sparkled under the lights. Her creamy skin was flawless. The bright red dress she was wearing fit perfectly to every curve of her body. She was slim. Just being in the same room as her took a hit on my self esteem. I felt beautiful, but now I wasn't so sure.

Suddenly, she spotted Ron and me. She ran, like Ginny, and attacked the red headed boy next to me. They started kissing violently, and I suddenly felt very awkward. I casually turned away from the two couples and started exploring.

The party was extreme. There were people talking, catching up. There were other people dancing. Then, there were people, like Ginny and Ron, making out with their significant other. I didn't know anyone, and I really didn't know where I was going. Walking around aimlessly, I found myself standing next to the refreshment area. There were kids getting some drinks from the bartender. I sat down on one of the stools and watched, observing my surroundings.

"Butterbeer?"

I jumped a little, and turned towards the voice. Sitting next to me was, without a doubt, the most gorgeous boy I had ever seen in my life. He had flawless, pale white skin and dark brown hair. It was messy, but in the…sexiest way I had ever seen. His eyes were a piercing green color and his lips… oh god those lips were to die for.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Butterbeer," he repeated, holding out a cup for me. I hadn't realized he was holding two drink cups. One was obviously for me.

I smiled at him, but asked, "What exactly is butterbeer?"

The boy laughed. "Here, try it."

He handed me the cup and I lifted it to my nose. It smelled… sweet. I swished it around in my cup for a minute and raised it carefully to my lips. I watched the boy out of the corner of my eye while I drank the liquid. It tasted like butterscotch, and I could vaguely taste the alcohol under the flavor. I savored it. It was delicious.

"Wow," I said. It was so great.

He chuckled. "You like it?"

"Yeah, it's delicious!"

He actually laughed this time. "Good. Is this really the first time you've ever had it?"

"Yep. I'm not really from around here…"

"Obviously," he joked. "I think I'd remember someone like you. What's your name?"

I giggled. "Lucie Gould. I just moved here, from the States. I'm actually starting at Hogwarts this year."

"Really, so you've never studied the craft at all?" He sounded shocked.

"Oh, god no. I've been home schooling since I was eleven."

"Good, I was worried for you." He winked at me and got up from his seat. "I'm Theodore, by the way. Theodore Nott. Call me what you want." And then he walked away.

Theodore Nott. The beautiful boy who gave me a drink. That was his name. I wanted to know more about him, and I intended to find out.

…~…

"Lucie! There you are!"

I whipped my head around to see Ginny, Ron, and their friends walking towards me. Harry and Hermione had friendly enough looks on their faces. Well, Harry did… Hermione looked a little… territorial.

"Oh, hi Ginny," I smiled, taking another sip.

"I see you got yourself a butterbeer! I'm gonna have to get one of those," Ron said smiling.

"Actually, someone got it for-"

"Lucie, this is Harry! Harry, Lucie," Ginny cut me off, shoving her boyfriend right up to me. She was grinning, and I could tell she was excited.

"Nice to meet you, Harry."

"You too. I've heard a lot about you," he chuckled. I blushed and wondered what he might have heard and who he might have heard it from. I took a quick side-glance at Ron. He was standing at the bar buying himself a drink.

"And this is Hermione!" Ginny said, pushing the girl next to Harry.

She smiled at me and held out her hand. "Hermione Granger, nice to meet you."

"Lucie Gould." I shook her hand and she seemed to loosen up a bit.

We all sat around the bar and talked for a little bit. Hermione seemed to completely let her guard down, no longer afraid I was going to snatch her boyfriend up at any second. Ginny also didn't forget to mention George's little crush on me, which seemed to release most of the stress she had.

"So, why don't we all get out on the dance floor?" Ginny suggested. We had finished our drinks and I was feeling pretty good.

"Yeah, let's go!" Hermione jumped up, pulling Ron by the wrist.

"You guys go ahead, I don't really have anyone to dance with," I said, encouraging them to go have fun anyway.

"Don't even worry about it," Harry said smiling. "We'll all take turns dancing with you."

The rest of the group agreed and Ginny pulled me off of my stool. We walked out on the dance floor as The Weird Sisters continued a medley of their most popular songs. We danced around, flailing almost, and just had a great time. I was sharing a dance with Ginny and Harry, when he twirled me around. I laughed and stumbled a bit (I've never been the most graceful girl) into the grasp of another person. I turned around to apologize when I locked eyes with Theodore Nott, the boy from before.

"Falling for me already, I see?" he chuckled.

I smiled. "I just can't resist that handsome smile," I joked back.

He laughed. "Slytherin green, it's a good color on you. Maybe you'll get sorted into my house."

"Let her go, Nott," Ron snapped, walking towards us. I had forgotten his hands were still holding my arms. Theodore let go of my arms and stepped back a little.

"Ms. Gould and I were just talking. Besides, what does it matter to you, Weasley?" Nott spat back at him.

"She's our friend," Ginny said, including herself into the conversation.

"And she lives in our house," Ron added.

"So that means we can't talk?" Theodore asked, sounding more threatening than questioning.

"You're a Slytherin. Go hang out with your other little Death Eater friends," Ron said, looking as if he was going to shove Theodore across the dance floor.

That blow obviously hit him hard. Theodore took a step back. "You know what, I don't need this," he said. He turned to me. "Maybe I'll see you around." I smiled at him and nodded, and he walked away.

"What was that about?" Ron asked, obviously pissed off.

"What? I met him earlier tonight, he got me a drink, and we talked a little. What's the big problem? He seems nice enough…"

"Lucie, Nott is a Death Eater. He isn't a good guy," Harry said, trying to explain.

"He was a part of the group who killed your dad," Ginny said softly. My heart sank, and I shook my head.

"I can't believe I-… I didn't know he was-…"

"It's okay," Ginny pulled me into a hug. "It's getting late, why don't we head back to the Burrow?" I nodded.

"Harry and I should probably get back to my house too," Hermione said.

"When is the next time I'm going to see you?" Ginny asked, placing her hands gently on Harry's chest.

"I'll meet you at King's Cross Station. Platform 9¾. I'll be the one with the glasses, holding a bouquet of daisies for my wonderful girlfriend."

Ginny giggled and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "This is why I love you."

"I'll see you there, too," Ron smiled, pulling Hermione into a hug.

"I won't have any daisies for you," she joked.

"If you're lucky, you might get some from me." Hermione laughed at Ron's joke, they shared a kiss and separated.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," Harry said, giving me a quick hug. "I'm sure you'll fit right in with the group!"

"Yeah, you guys are great. I can't wait to see you at school." I smiled.

Hermione have me a hug too. "You'll be a great addition." She smiled at me.

I felt like I was being adopted into a family, and in a way, I was. "Thanks," I said.

We all apparated back to the house and stepped inside. George was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading a book. The clock on the wall indicated that it was far later than I expected it would be.

"Where's Mum and Dad?" Ron asked his brother, sinking into the armchair next to the couch.

"They went off to bed about two hours ago. Way past their bed time. And yours, little brother," he joked, pinching Ron's cheek.

Ron kicked off his shoes and smacked his brother's hand out of the way. "You're a bloody idiot."

We all laughed. Ginny headed for the stairs. "It's shower time for me, then I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted."

I stood next to the door, feeling a little uneasy. I wasn't tired at all. "Jet lag" should have been taking its toll, but I felt more awake and alive than I had in months.

"Well, sit down!" George laughed, patting the seat next to him on the couch. Ron rolled his eyes. I giggled and made my way next to him. I sat down on the yellow couch cushion and George through his arm around my shoulder. "Thaaaaat's better," he joked.

I rolled my eyes at him and through his arm off of me. "Someone doesn't know the meaning of 'personal bubble'," I joked back.

"What is a 'personal bubble'?" He through his entire body on top of me. I squealed and tried pushing him off, but it was obvious he was putting all of his weight on me to make it difficult.

"And this is where I leave," Ron said, standing up. "You two have an…interesting night." George roared with laughter. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh myself.

"George Weasley, you get off of me right this second! Before I hex you off!"

"You would do no such thing," he chuckled, propping himself up slightly so he could stare down at me.

"You don't know that I wouldn't!"

"I do too."

George had resettled himself on me so that he was caging me in, hovering over me a little, rather than crushing me with his body. His face was inches from mine.

"What makes you so certain, Mr. Weasley?" I asked. I felt slightly short of breath. My stomach was doing summersaults. I wasn't sure what game George was playing. In the past twelve hours I'd known George, he was nothing short of unpredictable.

"You find me much to appealing to hex, Miss Gould." He smiled. The look on his face was testing… like he was testing me to make the next move (whatever that was). I didn't move. I stayed completely still underneath the redheaded boy.

"Appealing, huh?" I questioned. I tried hard to keep my composure.

"Yes, appealing." He inched closer to my face, but we didn't touch. I could feel his breath on my lips, and I was certain he could feel the same. I closed my eyes, still completely unsure of what was going to happen next. Then I heard George chuckle. "Let's go for a walk." He raised himself off me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up.

We found ourselves walking around the cornfields behind the Burrow. I could hear chirps of crickets and noises from other animals, mystical and muggle alike. Every so often, a slight breeze would pick up, gently rustling the corn.

George and I walked in a comfortable silence until we reached the orchards towards the end of their property. We approached this huge oak tree. George sat down, leaning on the trunk. He patted the ground next to him, summoning me over. I planted myself on the damp soil, every spell that could take care of the new stains on Ginny's dress running through my mind.

Despite it being late July, the weather was a little chilly. I shivered, and George put his arm around me. I leaned my head on his shoulder. And that's how we sat for quite some time in a comfortable silence. I felt sleep start to overcome me. Determined not to let myself pass out, I closed my eyes, just for some rest.

"Lucie," George said, finally breaking the silence.

"Hmmm," I replied, never opening my eyes.

"I feel comfortable with you."

"I feel com-fer-tu-bul with you too." My voice sounded groggy.

"I haven't felt comfortable with anyone since-…" He paused. "Since Fred…"

I opened my eyes and sat up a little straighter so I could look at him face to face. "Oh, George-…" I started.

"No, hold on. Let me say something." He grabbed my hands. "I like you, Lucie. I feel like I've known you forever, and I don't know a thing about you. I…I feel like I've led you on a whole lot. I feel like… like I've made you think that I'm a bloody lunatic, in love with you after one day.

"I didn't mean to make it seem like that. When I say I like you, I mean I like YOU. Not that I LIKE you. I'm really sorry if I've made you think otherwise." George finished his rant and looked anywhere but my face. I giggled.

"Really, George, it's not even a big deal. I'm not upset. What, do you think I'm some 'bloody lunatic' who falls in love after a day?"

George chuckled. "Now you're mocking me."

"Absolutely," I smiled. "Besides, it never would have worked. I'm off to boarding school in less than a month. I don't do long-distance." I gave the red head a quick kiss on the cheek and jumped to my feet. "Hakuna matata!"

He laughed. "Oh, well I suppose that makes perfect sense," he said, accepting my help up. "And what in Merlin's name is 'hakuna matata'?"

"It means 'no worries'," I laughed. "It's an American thing." I stuck my tongue out at the boy.

"Oh, is that how it's going to be?"

"Is what how it's going to be?"

"You better run!"

The two of us took off through the orchard and back through the cornfields to the Burrow. I beat George back to the house, but only because he let me. I know there is no way I actually won. We exchanged a quick hug and parted ways.

I found my way up the many staircases and past the different rooms to the new room Ginny and I shared. She was already asleep on her bed, so I carefully changed out of beautiful, dirty green dress and into a big grey t-shirt and a pair of white cotton shorts. I pulled my curls up into a messy bun and wiped my face off on my towel from my earlier shower. Then, I curled up into bed and drifted off into a much deserved sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: **Like I said! A liiiitttle but misleading. But either way, I hope you enjoyed it. The next few chapters are going to be very different than the last few. Be ready!  
>Love you all and stuff. :) REVIEWS.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer!**I own nothing except this plot and my new character! Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. (I'm just…twisting it a bit!)

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

I opened my eyes to darkness. It was cold. Instead of the soft bed I had fallen asleep on, I was laying on the hard, dirt ground. I wasn't in the Weasley's nice little home anymore. I was in the middle of a dark forest.

I stood up and started walking, unsure of where I was actually headed. My bare feet were crushing the dead leaves that covered the ground. I saw a dim light in the distance. I started running towards it, desperate to get out of this forest. With every step on the ground, the broken pieces of tree bark and the small, sharp pebbles would tear into my feet leaving small, stinging cuts.

The light, I realized as I got closer, was flashing. It was almost as if spells were being cast back and forth. Finally I reached the end of the forest and found myself at the entrance to a large clearing. The grass was softer on my aching feet, but it was still dark, nighttime. Whoever was throwing spells had stopped the second I'd emerged from the dark forest.

That's when I saw George. He was lying on his back in the grass. I ran towards him, calling to him. I hadn't been happier to see a familiar face in my life.

Finally I reached the boy and dropped to my knees next to him. He was frozen still, not moving. His brown eyes were open and lifeless. I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. I called his name, pleading he would wake up from whatever trance he was in. Admitting defeat, I dropped him back to his spot on the grass and fell next to him and closed my eyes, silent tears flowing past my eyelids and down my cheeks. George was dead.

After sometime of lying there in silence, I opened my eyes. I noticed something about George. It was something different about this George than the George I know today.

George back home is missing an ear. Ginny had explained it was something he had lost in the early stages of the war, back when Fred was still alive.

This George had both ears. I sat up, examining the boy. No, this wasn't George… This was Fred.

I stumbled away in utter shock. I couldn't understand why a boy who had died a few months ago was lying in the grass in front of me.

Then I saw another flash of light out of the corner of my eye. I spun around, overlooking a sight more horrifying than anything I'd ever seen.

Hundreds of bodies were lying on the grass behind me. Of course, none of them were familiar faces like that of the Weasley boy near my feet, but the sight was still enough to make me feel sick to my stomach. I walked carefully through the sea of witches and wizards, my heart aching for every one of them. I continued to walk, towards the flashing lights of obviously dueling wands.

That's when I saw him: my father. He was standing against a brick wall in a relaxed position. Wand in hand, he stood with his arms to his sides. I froze at the sight, unsure if I should run to my deceased father or drop to the ground and sob. I picked the former, and started walking carefully to the man who had been there for me my whole life; the man who would never be there again.

I started noticing familiar faces forming a path to my father. Ginny, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and the real George were all standing around my father and me, holding neutral body positions and looking stunned. I was scared, and I picked up my pace.

I started running to my dad, faster and faster. It seemed that the longer I ran to him, the longer the distance between us became. I screamed his name, sobbing. Tears were streaming down my face as I ran on this never ending treadmill of grass.

Defeated, I fell to the ground. I pulled my bare legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around myself. I cried, and cried, watching my father stand as still as before. Hexes and spells were flying through the air, narrowly missing my father and friends.

I heard a voice, in my otherwise silent world. It was soft, eerie, and serpent like. It muttered the words no one in the Wizarding world ever wants to hear. The killing curse. _Avada Kedavra._

I screamed, and I watched the blinding flash of green light shoot towards my father. It hit him straight in the chest. And I watched him fall.

And then everything went black.

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><p><strong>AN: **Much shorter chapter, but it's mostly a filler. It was all necessary though! Hope you're liking it. LET ME KNOW. Reviews. 3


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